Bathtub faucet bracket

ABSTRACT

A BRACKET FOR QUICK AND EASY MOUNTING OF BATHTUB FAUCET AND VALVE FIXTURES DURING CONSTRUCTION. THE BRACKET HAS A HORIZONTAL BAR WITH A PAIR OF ARCUATE CLAMPING BOLTS FOR SECURING AND POSITIONING THE FIXTURE AND A PAIR OF LATERALLY DISPLACED EARS AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE BAR TO ATTACH IT TO THE STUDS OF THE WALL FRAMING AT THE CONSTRUCTION SITE. THE BATHTUB FIXTURE MAY BE SIDE MOUNTED OR TOP MOUNTED RELATIVE TO THE BAR. THE BAR MAY BE ADJUSTABLY CONNECTED TO THE EARS FOR ATTACHING THE BRACKET TO THE STUDS TO PERMIT VARIATIONS IN SPACING OF THE FIXTURE RELATIVE TO THE BATHROOM WALL.

P 20, 1971 R. J. LEIFERMAN BATHTUB FAUCET BRACKET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filedse t. 8', 1969 32/. 35 FIG. 4

INVIiNlUR. ROB ERT J. LEIFERMAN B MiWaW AT TORNE-YS P 20, 1971 R. J.LEIFERMAN BATHTUB FAUCET BRACKET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 8, 1969 INVliN I ()R. ROBERT J. LEIFERMAN JMMW AT TORNE-YS United States Patent3,606,217 BATHTUB FAUCET BRACKET Robert J. Leiferman, 308 Davis St.,Mankato, Minn. 56001 Filed Sept. 8, 1969, Ser. No. 855,858 Int. Cl. F1613/22 US. Cl. 248-68 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bracket forquick and easy mounting of bathtub faucet and valve fixtures duringconstruction. The bracket has a horizontal bar with a pair of arcuateclamping bolts for securing and positioning the fixture and a pair oflaterally displaced ears at opposite ends of the bar to attach it to thestuds of the wall framing at the construction site. The bathtub fixturemay be side mounted or top mounted relative to the bar. The bar may beadjustably connected to the ears for attaching the bracket to the studsto permit variations in spacing of the fixture relative to the bathroomwall.

This invention relates to a bracket for mounting a bathtub valve andfaucet fixture during construction work, either new construction orremodeling. Bathtub filler fixtures are presently generally positionedbetween the studs in the framing of the room partition wall forming onewall of the bathroom against which the bathtub is positioned. In someinstances, no support is provided other than that inherent in theframework of pipes forming the plumbing system. In other instances, thefixture may be secured to a frame member by means of bent-over nails orsimilar makeshift measures. In other instances, an appropriately notchedsection of framing might be used.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a bracketfor positioning the typical two-valve over-rim spout bathtub fixture,with or without shower, to which the fiXtul'e may be firmly secured andwhich is easily mounted in the framing of the construction site.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of one form of bathub fixture bracketaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation showing the bracket in place positioning afixture;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation showing the positioning of adifferent type of fixture;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the bracket and fixture in place;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of another form of bathtub fixture bracketaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a front elevation showing the bracket of FIG. 4 in placepositioning a fixture; and

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the bracket and fixture in place.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4,the bracket indicated generally at 10, includes a fiat strong rigidsteel bar fixture mounting plate 11 of length slightly less than thedistance between two adjacent studs in the Wall framing of the partitionon which the bathub fixture is to be installed. The bar plate 11 isintended to be oriented horizontally with its fiat face surfacesdisposed parallel to the wall. At each end of bar 11 there is a leg 12in-turned at right angles and having a pair of vertically spaced apartholes to receive bolts 13 to which are secured nuts 14.

A fiat strong steel bracket attaching plate or ear 15 having a rightangle leg 16 is attached to each end of bar plate 11 by means of thebolts 13 which also extend through each of a pair of horizontal slots 17in the leg 16. The bracket attaching plates 15 lie in a plane spacedfrom and parallel to the plane of bar 11. Each attaching plate isprovided with a plurality of holes 18 by means of which the bracket maybe readily secured to studs 19 by means of nails 20 or similar fasteningmeans.

Bar plate 11 is provided with a plurality of pairs of vertically spacedapart holes 21, the pairs being disposed transversely relative to thebar and spaced apart horizontally along the length of bar 11. Each pairof holes 21 is adapted to receive the arms of an arcuate clamping bolt,such as a U-bolt or a hook or Jbolt, in this instance shown as a U-boltclamp 22. The bolts are used in horizontally spaced apart pairs. Asshown, each arm of each U-bolt is threaded to receive a nut 23, althoughonly one is essential.

The holes of each pair may be aligned vertically so the U-bolts aredisposed parallel to one another, or they may be aligned along anoblique line at about a 20 degree angle from vertical so the bolts aredisposed canted toward one another. This latter configuration isnecessary to mount some fixtures, as shown in FIG. 3. Where hook orJ-bolts are used, only one hole 21 of each pair of holes is needed sincethese arcuate clamping bolts have only one threaded arm. Because theyhave but a single arm extending through bar plate 11, they may bedisposed vertically or pivoted so as to be disposed obliquely asnecessary to position the particular fixture being mounted. In mostinstances, however, the holes will be provided in pairs so as to permitthe alternative optional use of either U-bolts or J-bolts. The holes aredisposed symmetrically on opposite sides of the transverse center lineof the bar plate 11.

The bracket in use is illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. The bathtubfaucet fixture includes a hot Water valve 24 connected to a hot Watersupply pipe 25 and a cold water valve 26 connected to a cold watersupply pipe 27, each by means of appropriate union connections. Hot andcold water distribution pipes 28 and 29, respectively, extend from thehot and cold water valves to a straight cross fitting 30 (or, in theabsence of a shower outlet, to a straight T-fitting). In some instances,the hot and cold water valve casings, distributor pipes and fitting maybe cast as an integral unit. In other instances, they may be separatecomponents connected together by conventional means.

The fitting 30 functions as a mixing chamber and distributor of themixed water from the hot and cold water supplies. An L-spout supply line31 extends from the fitting 39 through the bathroom Wall 32 to a waterspout 33 mounted on the wall above the rim of the bathtub. A showersupply line 34 is also coupled to the distributor fitting to supplywater to the shower head in the usual manner.

The valve and faucet fixture is mounted between studs 19 by means of thepair of U-bolts 22 extending around distributor pipes 28 and 29 andclamped by tightening nuts 23. The stems 35 of the valves to which theoperating handles 36 are attached extend through the wall 32 and adecorative cover plate 37 conceals the wall opening. In order to provideproper spacing of the bathtub fixture relative to the exposed wallsurface for proper fitting of the spout 33 and the valve handles 36 andcover plates 37, the bar plate 11 may be moved toward and away from thewall by virtue of the slots 17 in the mounting plate legs 16 and securedin the proper space relationship by tightening nuts 14.

The bracket is simply and easily installed between the studs by simplynailing the bracket attaching plates 15 to the forward edges of thestuds. The valve and faucet fixture is readily secured to the bar plate11 by means of clamping bolts 22. The space relation with the bathroomwall is readily adjusted and fixed simply by tightening nuts 14. Thebracket is adaptable to the mounting of all types of bathtub fixtures.The use of the bracket greatly simplifies the installation of bathtubplumbing and securely and rigidly positions the bathtub fixture with anytype of wall construction, be it lath and plaster, dry wall, plywood,and with or without tile.

Referring now to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, there is shown a modified form ofbathtub fixture mounting bracket, indicated generally at 10A. Thebracket comprises an elongated strong steel bar plate 11A of lengthslightly less than the distance between two adjacent studs in the wallframing. Bar plate 11A is adapted to be disposed horizontally with itsface surfaces lying spaced from, but generally parallel to, the bathroomWall. An in-turned fixture-mounting bar plate 11B extends forwardly fromthe top edge of bar plate 11A. Bar plate 118 extends inwardly from bar11A toward the bathroom wall and lies generally in a horizontal planeparallel to the bathroom floor with its edges generally parallel to thebathroom wall. Each end of bar plate 11A is provided with an inturnedright angle leg 12A which extends to, and is connected at right anglesto, stud attaching plate 15A. Although, according to this form of theinvention as illustrated, the attaching plates 15A are shown fixedrelative to the bar plate 11A, the attaching plates may be adjustablyconnected as shown in connection with the bracket of FIG. 1. Similarly,although legs 12A are shown at right angles, they may extend obliquely.

Attaching plate 15A is provided with a plurality of holes 18A by whichthe bracket may be secured to studs 19 by nails or the like, as alreadydescribed. The fixturemounting bar plate 11B is provided with aplurality of pairs of holes 21B adapted to receive the arms of a pair ofarcuate clamping bolts as described, here shown s U-bolts 22A. Holes 21Bare aligned longitudinally. The bathtub valve and faucet fixture ismounted by resting on top of bar plate 11B and being secured by theU-bolts 22A which extend around those portions of the hot and cold watervalves 24 and 26, respectively, through which the valve stem extends.The U-bolts are secured in tight clamping relation by means of nuts 23A.

The bracket is secured to the studs, as already described. The bathtubfixture and connections are as already described, but the fixture ispositioned in place by being mounted on top of the bracket 10A andsecured by means of the U-bolts extending around the valve bodies, incontrast to the side mounting from the distributor tubes previouslydescribed.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A bracket for mounting bathtub valve and faucet fixtures duringconstruction, which bracket comprises:

(A) a strong rigid elongated bar fixture-mounting plate,

(B) means at opposite ends of said bar plate for attaching the same tostructural wall framing at the construction site, said means comprisingplates lying in a plane parallel to but spaced from said bar plate,

(C) means connecting said attaching plates to said bar plate, said meanscomprising:

(1) a first flat plate lying in a plane perpendicular to the plane ofsaid bar plate and rigidly connected thereto,

(2) a second flat plate lying in a plane perpendicular to the plane ofsaid attaching plate and rigidly connected thereto,

(3) said first and second plates being disposed in overlappedface-to-face relation,

(4) at least one elongated slot in one of said plates, said slotextending perpendicular to the plane of said attaching plate,

(5) at least one hole in said other plate aligned with said slot,

(6) a bolt extending through said slot and hole,

and

(7) fastening means on the end of said bolt;

(D) at least one pair of spaced apart holes in said bar plate disposedsymmetrically on opposite sides of the transverse center line of the barplate,

(E) a pair of arcuate clamping bolts, the arms of said bolts extendingthrough at least one pair of said holes, said bolts being disposedsymmetrically on cpposite sides of the transverse center line of the barplate and adapted to engage said bathtub fixture to be mounted,

(F) fastening means on the ends of the arms of said bolts extendingthrough said bar plate.

2. A bracket according to claim 1 further characterized in that:

(A) said fixture-mounting bar plate lies in a plane generally parallelto the plane of said attaching plates,

(B) said holes are disposed in pairs along lines extending transverselyrelative to said bar plate and said pairs of holes are spaced apartlongitudinally thereof, and

(C) said clamping bolts are disposed in parallel planes perpendicular tothe plane of the bar plate and extending transversely thereof.

3. A bracket according to claim 1 further characterized in that:

(A) said fixture-mounting bar plate lies in a plane generally parallelto the plane of the attaching plates,

(B) said holes are disposed in pairs along lines extending at an angledeviating by about 20 degrees from the transverse center line of the barplate and said pairs of holes are spaced apart longitudinally of saidbar plate, and

(C) said clamping bolts are disposed in oblique p anes perpendicular tothe bar plate and extending so as to intersect along the lateral centerline of the bar plate.

4. A bracket according to claim 1 further characterized in that:

(A) said fixture-mounting bar plate lies in a plane generallyperpendicular to the plane of said attaching plates and is attachedalong one side edge to a supporting bar plate which lies in a planegenerally parallel to the plane of said attaching plates,

(B) the holes of said pair of holes are disposed and alignedlongitudinally relative to said fixture-mounting bar plate, and

(C) said clamping bolts are disposed in a common plane perpendicular tothe plane of the fixturemounting plate and extending longitudinallythereof.

5. A bracket according to claim 1 further characterized in that:

(A) said first flat connecting plate is provided with a pair ofvertically spaced holes,

(B) said second flat connecting plate is provided with a pair ofvertically spaced parallel elongated horizontal slots, and (C) aboltextends through each of said slots and holes in said connecting plates.6. A bracket according to claim 1 further characterized in that:

(A) said arcuate clamping bolts are U-bolts, (B) said holes are disposedin spaced apart pairs to receive the legs of said U-bolts, and (C)fastening means are attached to the ends of each of the arms of saidbolts. 7. A bracket according to claim 1 further characterized in thatsaid arcuate clamping bolts are J-bolts.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1915 Caine 24857X 10/ 1944Banneyer 2. 248-68 l/1951 Haby 24857 3/1961 Voigtlander 248201 5/1965Sloop 2483 00X 10/ 1968 Levy 24868 US. Cl. X.R.

